Container cap



P Em B Em 0m m w Dec. 8, 1936.

Filed Feb. 26, 1936 Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Crown Cork & Seal Company,

1110., Baltimore,

Md., a corporation of New York Application February 26, 1936, Serial No. 65,885

4 Claims.

The present invention has as its object to produce container caps of a type which may be readily snapped on and off without use of tools -of any kind.

This object is attained by the design of cap shown by way of example'in the accompanying drawing, and I shall proceed to explain the invention with reference to this specific embodiment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the new cap as applied to a container.

Figure 2 is a section, considerably enlarged, on the line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an axial section of the cap shell in an initial stage of manufacture.

Figure 4 is an axial section of the completed cap shell, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the cap.

Referring first to Figures 3 to 5, in the manufacture of the cap, I first stamp out or otherwise produce, a shell in the form shown in Figure 3 from suitable sheet metal, such as the usual tin plate. The gauge of the metal will depend to some extent on the size of the cap to be made, lighter gauges being utilized for the smaller caps and heavier gauges for the larger sizes. The shell shown in Figure 3 has a circular top portion I0, which centrally is somewhat inwardly ofiset as at ll. The cap has a skirt portion which includes a substantially cylindrical band I2 immediately adjoining the top portion ill. From this band the skirt is rather abruptly outwardly flared, the flare including an annular portion i3 substantially normal to the band i2 and an inclined portion M. The skirt portion is continued into a substantially cylindrical terminal portion I 5, which is provided with axially extending corrugations l6.

The shell thus constituted is subjected to a bending operation, whereby the marginal portion I5 is bent sharply inwardly from the circumferential bending line H, the edge ll taking a circular form and the depthof the corrugations I6 at the edge being somewhat deepened as compared to their original form. In Figures 1, 2 and 4 the inwardly bent marginal portion is designated as H5.

The finished shell It has inserted therein a cushion or gasket IQ of suitable material, and this gasket when of suificiently heavy stock, may be conveniently retained merely by friction with the inner surfaces of band l2.

The glass container 20 shown in Figures 1 and 2 has a tubular end portion 20' which defines a mouth. Spaced inwardly from its extremity, the tubular end portion is provided with a circumierential rib 2|, which is substantially rectangular in cross section as shown in Figure 2. The top face of the rib is less abruptly inclined than the lower face, the latter forming a shoulder for engagementby the cap. A substantially cylindrical portion 22 exists between the rib 2| and the container lip.

The diameter of the circular edge I1 is slightly 10 less than the maximum diameter of rib 2!, whereas the diameter of the circumferential bending line I 4' is considerably greater than the maximum diameter of the rib. The internal diameter of band I! is slightly greater than the outside diameter of the portion 22 of the container.

The capmay be applied with a direct straightline movement, but ordinarily one side will first come in contact with the container lip and complete application obtained by a swinging movement. As the edge ll passes over the rib, it deforms or expands momentarily and then contracts under the shoulder to bring a substantial portion of the corrugated margin under the latter. 5 The proportions are such that this contraction tensions the skirt portion so that the top of the cap is moved toward the container lip and the gasket suitably compressed to effect a seal. The offset in the top portion of the cap lies inside the inner edge of the lip and tends to bend the gasket over the latter to improve the seal. When the cap is fully applied, as shown in Figure 2, band l2 cooperates with the end portion 22 of the container to hold the cap centered. In the absence of this provision, the cap could become accidentally tilted, due to the large clearance between the rib and the flare of the skirt, and in such case the seal would be impaired or destroyed. 40

To remove the cap, the thumb is merely placed beneath margin i 5' and upward pressure exerted, edge I l snapping over rib 2i and releasing the cap. The cap may be snapped on and oil" innumerable times without appreciable deformation.

The cap flare and inturned margin act as an infinite number of c clamps. It will be noted that these portions have a very considerable radial extent and in the embodiment shown constitute 50 approximately a quarter of the total diameter of the cap. The relatively great width of margin it enables it to flex readily. In the application of the cap, the top surface of the rib or flange M has a powerful camming effect on edge ll. When to edge I! passes under the shoulder, a powerful tensioning effect is exerted on the skirt portion, this effect and the locking effect being enhanced by the abruptness of the shoulder inclination. Margin I5 flexes more easily on removal than on application, so that the locking effect as enhanced by the relative abruptness of the lower surface of the rib is overcome on removal with no difficulty.

The cap may be used in the packaging of various products either in solid or liquid form. The skirt tension is such that an excellent seal is provided, but at the same-time the locking provisions are such that the cap is readily manipulated.

The invention is not limited in embodiment to the specific design herein disclosed. Changes in form and proportions may be made without departure from the invention, and accordingly I do not limit myself except as in the following claims.

I claim:

1. For use with a container having a tubular portion with a mouth at one end thereof, said tubular portion being provided with an external circumferential rib which presents an annular shoulder faced away from the mouth, a metal cap having a top portion and a skirt portion, the free marginal portion of said skirt portion being sharply bent inwardly on a circumferential line to provide a continuous circular edge whose diameter is slightly less than the maximum diameter of said rib, thecircumferential line of said bend having a diameter considerably greater than the maximum diameter of said rib, the cap being adapted to be snapped on said tubular portion to engage said edge under said shoulder, the proportions being such that when said edge is engaged under said shoulder said skirt portion is tensioned and draws said top portion toward the extremity of said tubular portion to effect a seal, the skirt portion immediately adjacent said top portion being formed so as to closely embrace the end of said tubular portion and thereby center the cap.

2. For use with a container having a tubular portion with a mouth at one end thereof, said tubular portion being provided with an external circumferential rib which presents an annular shoulder faced away from the mouth, a metal cap having a top portion and a skirt portion, the free marginal portion of said skirt portion being corrugated and sharply bent inwardly on a circumferential line to provide a continuous circular edge whose diameter is slightly less than the max imum diameter of said rib, the circumferential line of said bend having a diameter considerably greater than the maximum diameter of said rib, the cap being adapted to be snapped on said tubular portion to engage said edge under said shoulder, the proportions being such that when said edge is engaged under said shoulder said skirt portion is tensioned and draws said top portion toward the extremity of said tubular portion to effect a seal, the skirt portion immediately adjacent said top portion being formed so as to closely embrace the end of said tubular portion and thereby center the cap.

3. For use with a container having a tubular portion with a mouth at one end thereof, said tubular portion being provided with an external circumferential rib which presents a shoulder faced away from the mouth, said rib being spaced from the mouth, a metal cap having a top portion and a skirt portion, the skirt portion comprising a band immediately adjoining the top portion and formed to closely surround that part of the tubular portion between said rib and mouth whereby to center the cap when it is applied, the skirt portion continuing in a sharp flare from said band up to a circumferential line from which it is bent sharply inwardly to form a circular edge having a diameter slightly less than the maximum diameter of said rib, the circumferential line of bend having a diameter considerably greater than the maximum diameter of said rib, the cap being adapted to be snapped on said tubular portion to engage said edge under said shoulder, the proportions being such that when said edge is engaged under said shoulder said skirt portion is tensioned and draws said top portion toward the extremity of said tubular portion to effect a seal.

4. For use with a container having a tubular portion with a mouth at one end thereof, said tubular portion being provided with an external circumferential rib which presents a shoulder faced away from the mouth, said rib being spaced from the mouth, a metal cap having a top portion and a skirt portion, the skirt portion comprising a band immediately adjoining the top portion and formed to closely surround that part of the tubular portion between said rib and mouth whereby to center the cap when it is applied, the skirt portion continuing in a sharp flare from said band up to a circumferential line from which it is bent sharply inwardly to form a circular edge having a diameter slightly less than the maximum diameter of said rib, the inwardly bent portion being corrugated, the circumferential line oi. bend having a diameter considerably greater than the maximum diameter of said rib, the cap being adapted to be snapped on said tubular portion to engage said edge under said shoulder, the proportions being such that when said edge is engaged under said shoulder said skirt portion is tensioned and draws said top portion toward the extremity of said tubular portion to effect a seal.

GEORGE GOEBEL. 

